Description:Card Connection is the UK's No 1 greeting card franchise, servicing over 15,000 outlets in Britain and Ireland.Opportunities:Re-sale franchises now available in the UK. Export opportunities elsewhere.Business Type:Franchise.Minimum Investment:£40,000.Training Provided:Yes.Home-based:Yes.

New Franchisee Backs a Winner with Card Connection

December 3, 2012

Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has recruited a new franchisee for North Wales. Former farmer and racehorse trainer, Robin Brisbourne will now supply Card Connection’s extensive range of high-quality greeting cards and gifts to retailers across the region.

“Since leaving school I have run my own businesses in dairy and arable as well as training up to 100 racehorses with my brother,” explains Robin Brisbourne. “With the ongoing challenges facing the agricultural industry, we had reached a cross roads. It was either time to invest heavily and expand the existing business, or do something completely different.

“Card Connection was hotly tipped by my friends Dave and Di Tudor, who are Card Connection franchisees for the Hereford and Worcestershire region,” continues Brisbourne. “I began looking into the details of the set up and quickly knew I would be backing a winner with Card Connection!”

Card Connection’s franchisees use a proven system to place quality greeting cards and gifts in retail outlets on a ‘consignment’ basis. This is one step beyond ‘sale or return’ as Card Connection customers never have to buy the stock initially, only paying for what they sell.
Card Connection’s award winning merchandising service provided to retailers by local franchisees has proved popular with retailers all over the UK and Ireland including Card Connection’s key national accounts such as Spar, Nisa, Supervalue, Centra, Costcutter, Londis and Total.

“Once I had made my decision to purchase the Card Connection franchise, I was delighted that Lloyds TSB didn’t view the Company as a ‘gamble’. Rather, they recognised Card Connection as a ‘gold standard franchise company’ and so were happy to lend me the proportion of the funds I needed to seal the deal,” confirms Brisboune. “I have now completed my initial training at head office, and so far, I have been really impressed with the professionalism of the staff who are particularly helpful and supportive. I also love the product and am looking forward to getting out on the road and providing a winning service to the retail customers in my territory very soon!”

Card Connection is part of UK Greetings, which is a subsidiary of the largest publicly owned greeting card publisher in the world and has limited vacancies for franchisees who are keen to run an expanding business. Suitable candidates would ideally have some management experience as, once established, and depending on the size of the territory, they could be expected to employ a small team, operate a small warehouse and have several liveried vans on the road.

Since the franchise network in the UK is complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at £20k (+stock) with earnings potential in excess of £50k per annum.